The headline reads just right. The concept of software development is pretty much in vogue, catering to some of the most dynamic industries across the globe, including education, eCommerce, healthcare, media/entertainment, aviation, etc. Do you think that this is just a fad? Probably not! If you want to gain some recognition in the complex and turbulent marketplace, software development is the right thing to do.  

Now whenever I speak or write about software development, one of the common yet crucial questions that have been asked ample times is how much does it take to develop a software and how to reduce the overall cost of services provided by a software company ?

Though this might seem pretty simple on the surface but I bet even if you are a veteran software development company that carries an immense amount of experience and expertise, I am sure you won't be able to answer this in one go. Do you know why because there is no cookie-cutter answer to such a question? It varies in different aspects which will be covered later in the following post.

Let's get started!

What is Custom Software Development?

As the name implies, custom software development is the process of planning, designing, developing, testing, deploying and maintaining software solutions according to the given specific needs and requirements. Now every business is different and it is quite obvious that their workflow demands customized needs and requirements.

So before you decide to develop custom software, certain things must be taken into account such as:

• For whom - Who are your target users? Are you willing to develop one for end-users and your employees or to integrate well with the existing machines?
• When - This one answers when you are planning to use the software developed. You see using the right software at right time makes everything worthy.
• Where - Last but not least is where exactly the software will be used for internal business or end-users.

This is not just quintessential it's way beyond being one. Moving on, let's find out why more and more businesses are trending towards custom software development.

Why Business Needs Customized Software Solutions?

Do you think opting for off-the-shelf ordinary software solutions can provide you with more value? Also, can it be beneficial for your end customers?

Probably not! Here, you need a personalized, scalable, robust, and efficient-looking solution at service. Further, I would like to mention some benefits these customized software solutions offer.

1. You Are Willing To Gain A Competitive Advantage:

Surviving in today's competitive market is not easy, one needs to stand out from the crowd. For that, off-the-shelf software isn't good enough, you need more.

You need custom software that is meant specifically for the business requirements. Apart from that, there is an endless number of possibilities available. For example, using such kinds of solutions can be more efficient than their competitors.

Imagine when the entire globe is painted white, how will you locate India, US and UK. Similarly, if you and your competitors use the same kind of solution, how will you be different from the rest ? A custom-developed software is all you need.

2. You Want Scalable Solutions:

It may interest you to know that custom-developed solutions are way easier to scale, especially than off-the-shelf software solutions. However, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't purchase off-the-shelf solutions, even these are required as long as you need some kind of softwares to support your business.

Once it cannot support and becomes too expensive, you must know that this software is no longer suitable for you. It's time to choose a better fit and I am talking about none other than custom-developed software solutions.

Now, why do you need software? Of course, to enhance or scale your business to a great extent. I mean nobody wants to be bounded by softwares and tools. On the contrary businesses, irrespective of their industries believe that these softwares and solutions must assist them in moving at their own pace.

Also, developing customized solutions is not easy. It takes a hell lot of time to come up with one that turns out to be your best weapon available in the arsenal for the long run.

3. You Want To Integrate Existing Platforms:

Since you are already running a business, it is quite obvious to assume that you must be having several tools and technologies already at your pace. Now when you choose an off-the-shelf software there are pretty less chances of this one being well-integrated with your existing platforms and tech stack.

Whereas, if you happen to consult a custom software development company, all you have to do is let them know your existing needs and enable them to get well-acquainted with your existing software and see how they end up creating a solution that not just integrates seamlessly with your existing platforms but also works wonders for you in the long run.

Also, not to mention that getting a custom software built offers huge savings regarding further investment. One software can be integrated with several third-party applications enabling the work environment to be smooth and easy. Moreover, this software has the potential to extend the functionality of your entire well-established enterprise's ecosystem.

4. You Want Highly Secure Solutions:

With security braching happening now and then, who doesn't want a high-end secured solution. Of course, speedy development is very important but what's the point in creating something that your competitors or the bad guys can easily hack.

After all, this softwares would feature lots and lots of crucial data about your company and god forbid if somehow it gets into the hands of your competitors or the bad guys, nobody can save you from being doomed to death.

Cyberattacks can be considered one of the most dreadful diseases  found in the online realm. These bad guys are smart enough, they always prefer the big fish and commercial data available in off-the-shelf software being more fragile is often being targetted at first. With custom software development, you can ask the team of software developers to ensure high-end security right from the scratch. Adding one extra layer of encryption can save your business greatly.

5. You Want Support And Maintenance To Sustain In The Long Run:

There is no thumb rule stating that all business owners willing to develop software must be techies or tech-savvy geeks? Fortunately, in today's era, you can find numerous software development companies across the globe who aren't just knowledgeable but well-experienced in creating wonders like never before.

Not to mention that by choosing a reliable software development company, you can focus on your core competencies since these guys won't just develop software for you but also aid in support and maintenance. I guess that's why people say software development is not a one-time procedure, it's more in regards to usability and sustainability.

When you choose off-the-shelf software, the developers might be able to help you only to an extent or for the time being. If the company shuts down, you won't be able to do anything anyway.

6. You Want Cost-Effective Solutions:

Enhancing your business efficiency is your first and foremost goal but what if you can kill two birds with one arrow. Of course, custom software development might seem a costly venture at first, but it is pretty cost-effective if you see it in the long run.

Having such a solution means your employees no longer have to consider those monotonous and tedious tasks, instead they can do what they like the most, something more productive and creative. This saves time and increases productivity. On and all, your business's bottom line is also affected.

As mentioned earlier, custom software are more scalable than off the shelf. So your product won't be anything less than a long-term investment or a proprietary asset.

6. You Want Independent Solutions:

One of the core benefits of developing Custom software solutions is creating a solution that gives you freedom. Freedom to do what you like, freedom from those monotonous tasks, freedom to focus on your core competencies, freedom from worrying about the price hikes, licensing and updating it.

Even if the product becomes outdated, you no longer have to worry because your software development company is there to take care of all your needs.

Yes, the team of software developers won't just create an intimidating solution for you but also assist them in maintaining and support for the long run. In addition, they will take care of maintenance and updations as frequently as you want.

7. Overall Business Improvement:

Do I need to enhance this point? I am sure by now you must have understood that custom software development leads to enhancement in business. Now, do you know the 2 fundamental pillars of a successful business? One has a strong infrastructure, and the other uses cutting-edge technology. With a custom software development, you can have them both at once.

It may quite interest you to know that even after knowing all these benefits and advantages of hiring a custom software development company, many businesses tend to restrain themselves from doing so, have you wondered why? It's simple, the price! Yes, even today people do get affected by the price.

No matter how large or mid-scale their enterprise is, the price has been considered one of the most determining factors here. And that's the reason why I have come up with the following post. Yes, you heard it right even custom software development can turn out to be a cost-effective venture. Read away and you will exactly know how!

Effective Ways To Reduce Custom Software Development:

Determining the overall cost of development is not easy. Once the procedure of development starts, you can do nothing about it rather than wait for the outcomes and expenses. However, there is a way of conducting a successful custom software development project without spending extravagantly.

Voila! Below, I would like to shed some light on some of the best possible ways to reduce costs while conducting a custom software development project. Be smart and wise or else you might pay a huge price. Without further ado, let's get started!

# 1 Outsourcing Development or Offshore Software Development:

Have you realized why terms like outsourcing and offshore software development have gained popularity in recent years? Well, is it just because of the worldwide lockdown? Not really! It is because offshore software development or outsourcing software development services from a reputable company mean that you can reduce the cost to a great extent.

Unlike in-house teams, imagine here you don't have to worry about paying monthly wages or benefits or stop them from leaving you midway. On and all, this results in cost-cutting whether its operations or marketing or management basis.

Besides cost, hiring a team of offshore software developers means you get instant access to some of the most interesting talent pool who aren't just knowledgeable but well experienced in their field.

Check out some of the most promising outsourcing destinations such as India, Philippines, Vietnam, China, Latin America, etc. Due to low taxes, it is wise to hire a mid-level experienced software developer at a low price instead of hiring an amateur programmer at a high price. Also, this is no longer true that low rates are equally proportionate to low-quality ratios. Quality is based on several factors other than cost.

# 2 Consult A Reliable Team Of Software Developers:

Unfortunately, even today some businesses ditch the process of hiring tech partners and work on the software themselves just to save money. Now what happens is that since these guys aren't tech-savvy, they create something crap and of compromised quality.

Everything your time, energy and money is wasted to a great extent. Here hiring a team of software developers right from the beginning means you just have to share your concerns, and requirements, and let them do their job. Since these guys are techies, knowledgeable and well-experienced, making mistakes is pretty less.

Now you must be wondering how to find a reliable team of software developers and that too overseas. You have to keep tabs on the software development companies you have shortlisted by now. See how they manage to provide you best possible outcomes at low rates.

It may quite interest you to know that the choice of technologies used in custom software development greatly impacts the cost. And that's the reason why people emphasize choosing the right tech stack for both front-end as well as back-end development.

Javascript and PHP frameworks are some of the most common and popular ones for such projects. To be precise, Angular and React have gained an immense amount of popularity since their inception and these two are showing no signs of slowing down.

While choosing a tech stack, just ensure that you have witnessed the community by yourself. Having a strong community at bay means you can safeguard yourself from any critical situation. Also, if the developer gets stuck, veteran experts present in the community will always be ready to help. Do not choose a less popular programming language such as rust.

Also, when you hire a team of software developers see what else they can offer? Do they offer solutions that are easy to integrate with your existing packages, if not then it's time to switch to other pods.

Hiring a reliable development company is extremely important, your tech partner somehow needs to be trustworthy because software development is no child's play. It's about giving your life string to other people's hands, so choose pretty wisely!

# 3 Gain A Competitive Edge:

Have you ever played a game of chess? The game always favours those who believe in planning every move precisely. Similarly, by conducting custom software development projects, only those who have planned things prior can gain a competitive advantage. Have you wondered why?

It's simple because they tend to foresee the future which surely your competitors don't. Everything right from the short milestones to potential mistakes can be taken care of if the planning is done correctly.

There is a popular phrase, think before you speak. Here I would say think hard before you act. The more precise your plan is, the chances of success are high.

Of course, all this cannot be done by yourself, you always have the option of seeking assistance from a reputable software development company that can plan out the development process featuring all the necessary tools and technologies that result in increased productivity.

# 4 Ensure Penetration Testing is Incorporated Right From The Beginning:

There was a time when QA was considered an afterthought. A process that has to be done for the sake of it. Not including penetration testing  right from the beginning can be a huge mistake. Imagine you have developed software and then you release it without testing it. Do you what might be the outcome? The software developed might not be accurate, chances are pretty high of this one having mistakes, errors and bugs. And in the end, your customers switch to your competitors.

Now, what happens when you incorporate QA specialists right from the beginning. First and foremost, they are bug and error identifiers. In case of any incorrect or contradictory requirements, they report to the developers right then and there. And not just this, software testing must happen at every stage of your release flow.

In addition, witnessing bugs or errors later entails extra hours and energy in bug fixing. Not to mention, this involves additional costs.

# 5 Be Clear In Your Needs And Requirements:

Another factor that can reduce the cost of custom software development is drawing up your needs and requirements specifically. If you have no idea what exactly you want, how can you expect the software development company to understand.

The chances of misinterpretation and miscommunication rise here. And in the end, what you get is a haphazard-looking design with not so appropriate functionality, basically a complete waste of time, money and energy. In a nutshell, you have to pay again extravagantly.

So before you get in touch with a custom software development, make sure you are well-aware of your needs and requirements and then communicate with them. Precise documentation and accurate detailings mean there is no scope for any misconception. At the same time, you need to trust your software development team, they know their jobs well unless you would have never asked for their custom software development services in the first place.

Again, this will reduce the software development costs and also you will be able to concentrate on your core business pursuits.

# 6 Try Using More Opensource Solutions:

Another interesting way of reducing software development costs is using open source solutions. If you want to have a cost-effective or low-budget project, open-source frameworks and libraries are worth mentioning. Do you know why?

Opensource frameworks will be considered first-hand experiences for most software development companies across the globe. Apart from this, they offer high-end flexibility and agility, now these aspects are something that must be taken care of well because if not so, things can get worsened in the long run. Apart from this open-source frameworks are considered the best when it comes to speed.

With large and active communities available around, name any development-related problem and it will be solved in time. So here you get the best of both worlds - speed and flexibility and agility. Overall, open-source is free to use, making it way cheaper than any proprietary solution. Given that businesses irrespective of their sizes always tend to remain budget-challenged, open-source turns out to be the sure-shot way to succeed.

# 7 Not Ignoring The Skills And Experience:

Of course, no custom software development project can be completed without hiring a relevant team of professionals featuring project managers, software designers, developers, QA analysts, etc. Now you must be wondering what team members have to do with reduced costs.

 Imagine you hired a bunch of amateurs of might to be knowledgeable but certainly are inexperienced in the field. They might create the worst possible outcomes that lead you to rework your project. On the other hand, when you choose a team featuring relevant knowledge and experience, the chances of pragmatism and perfectionism increase and everything goes according to the pre-determined plan.

Experienced programming not just offers robust coding but has the potential to use every trick from his book to succeed. In case of any budget constraints, you can balance between senior-level and mid-level expertise. Of course, this might seem a costly idea at first but here the chances of any rework or additional costs are pretty less.

There is more…

Understand you are developing software, it's one of your projects so you don't have to either burn a hole in your pocket or you can give away your arm or leg. Also, opting for cost-effective software solutions doesn't mean they aren't worthy enough. With proper planning, hiring a relevant offshore development company, drawing out your needs, and choosing the right stack, you can create an intimidating solution within your pre-determined budget.

Don't you feel we are missing something here?

How to hire an Offshore Development Company?

I recently happened to stumble upon a post on how to hire offshore software developers for your business. And that's It, I knew what seems to be missing here in the following post.

The term offshore software development seems to have been popping up pretty lately. Not to mention that the IT sector has taken utmost advantage of outsourcing. However, dealing with the ever-changing post-pandemic life is not easy but it's a doable job. I can show you how. It's time to choose a reliable offshore development company. And here's how!

●     Experience Matters The Most:

One of the core aspects that every business must consider is hiring a reliable team of offshore developers who aren't just well-knowledgeable but highly experienced in their field. Whether you opt for India, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Philippines, Vietnam, or China, just ensure you choose programmers who carry some experience in developing such projects before. Knowledge can enable you to enter the market, but one requires relevant expertise and experience for survival.

●   Communication:

Now since you are hiring a team of offshore developers, it is quite obvious that you have already started understanding their technical expertise. Many of you often ignore communication skills. One of the core aspects or strong fundaments in any long-term relationship is communication.

Having clear yet effective communication skills is extremely important. See whether they are proactive and ensure that their team members and you stand on the same page by regularly holding meetings via Skype, Google Meet, or any other platform. One minor hiccup can result in total loss.

Other than communication skills, keep tabs on the offshore developer's attitude. You need to see are they workaholics or not, how do they react to different situations such as criticism or any stressful situations. As a coder, one must remain calm and poised and flexible in their approach. Also, check whether they do carry a problem-solving attitude or not.

●     Time-Zone Management:

Again here we are talking about the offshore software development project. This means you aren't choosing just a different company but a workspace located in a different country. So time-zone differences are bound to happen but who says it is not possible to overcome. No matter how tedious or daunting managing these time-zone differences seems, here’s the trick you need to make the most of the overlapping hours to surpass the challenge.

Your offshore development teams will be around 8 to 15 hours ahead of you so behind, which means they are working on your project while you are sleeping. So make the most of it. Come up with a proper plan for both your local and remote teams.

Parting Words:

This is it! To wrap up swiftly, conducting a custom software development won't be easy, especially when you do it for the first time. Keep a leap of faith and walk ahead, because it can be hard, tiring, and challenging, but it's not impossible. However, once you decide to delve into it I am sure you will walk out with a robust-looking solution.

To cut the long story short, a software development project is no longer being just acknowledged businesses are striving hard to come up with a solution that gives them a competitive edge like never before. And it is possible to conduct a custom software development project at a reasonable price. All you have to do is keep the aforementioned pointers into account and Voila!

Key Takeaways:

● Reduce the cost by choosing an offshore software development company.

● Reduce the cost by consulting a reliable team of programmers and tech-stack.

● Reduce the cost by ensuring QA testing.

● Reduce the cost by using open-source frameworks.

● Reduce the cost by creating a balance between skills and experiences.

I hope the objective of this article has been justified and you exactly know how to reduce the software development costs. If you still have any doubts or queries, feel free to mention that in the comment section below.

Source - https://www.techiesclassic.com/How-to-Reduce-Software-Development-Costs